Strictly star Will Mellor pleads for end to UK race riots as daughter fears leaving home due to violent unrest

The actor, known for his roles in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and Strictly Come Dancing, took to social media to express his deep concern about the ongoing unrest.

Will met dancer Michelle McSween when they starred together in the stage musical Oh, What a Night in 1999. They married in 2007 and the couple share two children together, son Jayden, 19, and daughter Renee, 14. He now revealed that Renee has become fearful of going out due to the violent far-right demonstrations that have erupted in various towns and cities across England.

These riots, which began following the tragic murders of three young girls in Stockport, have led to widespread unrest and a significant police response. Hundreds of rioters have been charged with violent disorder, and many have already been sentenced to jail, as the numbers are expected to rise in the coming days.

In a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Will said: “I’m just so sick of waking up to this horrible negative hateful s***e on social media mostly from Facebook accounts which I’m muting by this second, but just horrible to read and see in the news.

“My daughter came to me the other day about going out because of whatever’s been happening on the streets of England. That’s wrong, man. I mean how can we all not see that all we are is people and the actions of the few don’t represent the rest. There are bad eggs in every single culture we need to sort that out.

“The only way we do that is by coming together. To put it simply, right, the majority of rapists are white males so does that mean all white males are rapists? Obviously not, that’d be stupid. Come on, man you can do better than this - it’s a joke.”

Many of his followers shared the same sentiments. One commented: “Well said Will. There's a lot more that connects us than what divides us. A good example, that'll resonate with many, is a football team. Where people from different countries, backgrounds etc come together for a common goal.”

This isn't the first time Will has spoken out against racism. Speaking to the Mirror in June 2020, Will admitted: "As a white man, I know I cannot fully understand what it is to suffer racism the way my wife has. But I can stand up next to her and fight for equality. It’s frightening what’s going on in the world.

"I would worry about taking my kids, who are mixed race, to America. There might be jobs they are qualified for, but will get overlooked because of the colour of their skin. We have warned they need to be careful of the crowd they keep. Because if there is any trouble they will be the ones pulled out of the pack because of the way they look."